In-line mechanical, electrical, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and grounding connectors using canted coil springs offer significant advantages in applications requiring the mechanical, electrical, EMI, or grounding connection of two elongated members or rods that are subjected to vibration, to extreme and highly variable temperatures, and that require a high degree of reliability. The rods are usually, although not required, cylindrical in configuration.
At extreme and highly variable temperatures, connected conductive members, such as rods, may undergo thermal expansion. Often conductive bars are adjacent to high speed or rotating applications, such as generators and motors, and, as such, may experience intense vibration. Under such conditions, typical means of mechanical connection such as screw/threaded, hinged, and other jointed connections are limited to the amount of thermal expansion and vibration they can withstand and still perform sufficiently. Additionally, when components of connectors are made from different materials, such as copper and steel, a difference in thermal expansion between the two materials at high and variable temperatures often causes failure in such connectors since the greater expansion of one component can damage another component or result in loss of contact between components. When screw/thread connectors are used, the variable thermal variation of the threaded components can cause the threaded portions to disengage from each other, and, in electrical applications, can increase the current resistance of electrical conductors, thus decreasing their current carrying capabilities.